Mississippi River Advisory Committee of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress

Brice Prairie Conservation Association
Intersection of Lytle Rd & County Z
Brice Prairie, Wisconsin
August 8, 2014
7:00pm
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN
that the
Mississippi River
Advisory Committee
of the Wisconsin Conservation
Congress will convene at
7:00pm on August 8, 2014
at the
Brice Prairie Conservation Association
Clubhouse located at Lytle Road and
County Road Z,
Brice Prairie, Wisconsin.
The committee will review
and act on the items listed on this agenda.
NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN
that members
of the Mississippi River Committee are invited to
dine together at 5:30 pm at the Red Pines Bar and Grill Restaurant
(W7305 County Road Z, Onalaska, Wisconsin)
on August 8, 2014 prior to the committee meeting. This is an informal social gathering and
no action will be taken nor committee business conducted.
ORDER OF BUSINESS
I.
Organizational Matters
A. Call to order
B. Roll call
C. Agenda approval or repair
D. Review Committee Mission Statement
E. Public Comments Citizens who wish to address the committee should contact the committee chair (Marc Schultz at 608-792-1445 Wes Domine at 608.687.3230) prior to August 5, 2014.
II.Information & Action Items
A. Citizen Resolutions
1. 15” length limit on Mississippi River sauger (120114)
2. Minnow harvest for personal use
(220114-assigned to Warm Water Committee)
B. Winter harvest of flathead catfish (follow-up of presentation at 2013 meeting)
C. Department Information Items & Updates
1.DNR rules updates
2. Law Enforcement update
D. Invasive species research update (Randy Hines,USGS)
E. River project updates (EMP, FWS, COE, USGS, etc)
F. Implications of 2014 flooding
G. Update to refuge “leaner tree” cutting investigation for shoreline preservation
H. Next meeting tentative date (August 7, 2015)
—
Member preference vs. expense
III. Member Matters
IV. Adjournment

I would be all in on the size limit for Saugers.

Saugers are a smaller specie than walleye, yet one should put the same size limit as the larger cousin? Where is the logic in that?

I am not only against the 15″ limit on saugers, but also against allowing the “Minnow harvest for personal use”.

The minnows belong to the fish in the river. Folks should be out spending their money to stimulate the economy by buying their bait or lures at the local bait shop.

weldon wrote:

I am not only against the 15″ limit on saugers, but also against allowing the “Minnow harvest for personal use”.

The minnows belong to the fish in the river. Folks should be out spending their money to stimulate the economy by buying their bait or lures at the local bait shop.

Weldon, how many people complain about being unable to afford cigarettes? Bait is more expensive, harder to come by sometimes, and is a timely hassle to keep alive. Harvesting minnows for personal use kills less fish, saves time, and allows for those going through hard times to be able to do something they love without the cost.

I’m all for saugers being a 15″ minimum. I just wish the MN & WI DNR would both agree on this. Otherwise on parts of the Mississippi it’s simply a grey area. Otherwise if a boat is stopped on the WI side how can the DNR officer prove they were not caught in the MN side? Well then I suppose you could give them a ticket for transporting live fish across imaginary state lines.

It’s illegal to take live bait/fish from WI to MN or vice versa. How many boaters cross the imaginary border everyday when out on the river? You think AIS violations are bad…..

I applaude the WI DNR for looking into these changes, but until both states are on board the Miss. will always be a “grey” area.

weldon wrote:

I am not only against the 15″ limit on saugers, but also against allowing the “Minnow harvest for personal use”.

The minnows belong to the fish in the river. Folks should be out spending their money to stimulate the economy by buying their bait or lures at the local bait shop.

You have to be kidding me on this thought? Growing up as kid we were taught how to gather our own bait and use it without being dependent on someone to provide for us. It would give kids these days a better understanding of how the river works and how to be dependent.

I would think you must be in the bait shop business or have some ties to the industry to support this thinking?
Shawn

it seems to me they should shut down fishing the huge scour hole. i cant imagine 50 boats a day dragging up 50 10″ saugers is helping. add a 15″ limit to the mix and they stay longer to scratch out a limit.

Yes, I am kidding on the minnows.

But serious on the Sauger comment. We have 15″ limit on walleye and folks want the same limit on the smaller cousin to the walleye? Do we request a 15″ limit on perch too?

I don’t think we need more or more strict regulations.

I haven’t heard what became of the sauger size limit, but it sounded like they never heard of wintering flatheads before. LOL!

Back to shooting bears while they’re hibernating…